The Price of Love
by Beltainwitch
Summary: Legolas is captive to a mad man, and lost in his most unthinkable reality! Guilt and sorrow reek havoc on his soul. Survival is not an option yet neather is fading. What is an elf to do? Rated for violence.
1. Chapter 1

Pain it was the only thing that he felt now. He never knew that he could ache like this. The constant ache in his chest was growing more with the passing of each second. Yet he knew it would only get worse. The pain he felt now would never leave him; his soul would weep until he gave in and left to the halls of Manos.

_Why him! Valar why?_ The tears seeped beneath the lashes that so desperately tried to block their coming. He knew that he would never stop the tears. His heart was flooded with them.

The lean body that held such pain; shivered in grief, strong arms wrapped around long legs to rest his head upon their knees. The golden curtain of hair fell before the fair face to hide his anguish. Yet he did not care if any in the camp saw him now. He did not care if they saw this as a weakness, available to exploit. He no longer cared what they did to him.

No amount of pain inflicted upon his body would compare to what now coursed through his whole being.

_Why did he have to die? Why did he have to die…for me?_

Through the cries his heart called out to the Valar, he heard them approach him. He did not look up. He knew why they came to him now. Yet his pain did not allow him to care.

_There is no hope left in me…I will die as he did, why live with out _Estel_?_

"Awe the poor little prince is crying." Came there taunts. "Do you miss your friend already?"

He still did not look at them. He wanted to die. He wanted to scream out to the world to just kill him and be done! Let this retched existence be gone, he was not worthy of life. Not now that it had been bought for such high a price.

_How will the world go on with out Estel?_

"You should be happy, Prince, he gave his pathetic life for yours. And you sat there and let him die!" The truth in their words only intensified the pain he felt.

"He did not have to die. If you had been truthful with us in the beginning he would still be right here." He felt the speaker pat the dirt next to where he sat.

Behind the golden curtain there was nothing but blue ice. The eyes that glared now at the man had no warmth; there was only pain in those orbs that bore in to the human that now taunted.

"I did not have to tell you who I was. You knew, you knew and still you killed him. You tossed him aside as though he was nothing! Yet he was everything! Everything!" The pain burst from the elf in a cry of agony, and he stood from his seated position on this ground.

Hands, strong from millennia of using a long bow, griped the front of the man's tunic.

"He died thinking he was protecting who I am and you knew! He died for nothing!" The normally melodious voice was strained with anger.

"There we go! Let it out Legolas, you are so much more fun when you are angry." The man smiled and added. "He did not die for nothing, my dear elf…he died for you."

Legolas was pulled from the man. Those words; spoken with that smile, was enough to shatter the will to fight the prince had found in anger. And as his captors cut the rope that bound his hands, and re tethered them behind his back he did not fight.

He did not care if he was bound or not. He had wished that his attack would have provoked the man; maybe just enough to end his life. That was all he wanted now. Legolas, son of Thranduil, Prince of Mirkwood, wished now for death! But he knew as well as any one that he would not find death from these men, not yet at least. His life was worth more to them then it was to him at this moment.

"Stop wallowing, any way, it was over a day ago. And we are so close to your home." The man, his captor, stepped closer to the prince. "Are you not happy to be so close to seeing your _Adar?_"

"Vile _edan!_" Legolas hissed. Yet he could say no more. His pain he felt at the loss of Estel was pushed aside as the reason behind the prince's capture, and his friends death, was pointed out.

"We will be there soon, elf, do not worry. I think our message should be sent out now, though." The man snapped his finger, and another human was at his elbow, Legolas kept his eye on his tormentor. He was still held firmly by the men that had rebound him, so when the man came closer still the elf prince could not step back.

"But we should send something to the King to understand that we alone do not wish to see him, but that his son does as well." He grinned again, his eyes searched over the elf before him, looking for something to send with the messenger.

"Awe, take his bow, and this." Before Legolas could move the man took his knife and cut a lock of golden hair from his head. At the pure outrage upon the fair face, the man laugh all the louder, and the others around the meager camp, who were watching their leader with there captive, laughed with him.

"You will regret this, human, my King does not take kindly to being threatened or blackmailed in to submission." Legolas spat.

The man turned and dispersed the messenger. Then with a small smile the man turned back to his captive. The man; until now, was cruel and harsh, his voice was always loud when taunting his victim or harsh when punishing them, _him_, he corrected. So the soft look that came into those black eyes, and the false sympathy that was behind the smile, unnerved the elven prince. More so then he would have ever admitted.

The man brought his fingers to the elf's pale cheek, and trailed it down as he spoke.

"You think of your _King's _reaction to my message, but my dear prince, I am sending the message not to your king." Legolas, to stunned by the words and the touch just stared at the man, "Though they be the same person, I am sending my message to your _father_. And my message is nothing any father can ignore, be he king or peasant." He paused, and his touch lingered for a moment then his hand dropped and he came to be even closer, Legolas unconsciously backed against the men that held him.

"The blood of his son will be used to pull him to me, and your life will be taken to spare his. You, his only son, so noble, so true will die to spare him death. Then my revenge will be complete, for the depth of pain you feel for your friend will not compare to the pain of the father, grieving for his son."

"No!" Came the whispered reply, Legolas wanted scream the word, but the horror they brought stop it at a whisper.

"Yes, prince, you see he can not die, he is the King of his realm, you know this, your people need him, not their prince, but their King, you will have no choice but to die, it is your duty. He knows this. As a king he requires such a sacrifice, but as a father, it is unthinkable. How it will torture him." He smiled more.

Legolas shook his head. "No!" He said, his voice was louder but still he could not find the strength to back up the denial. And again the man smiled,

"Yes! You love him to much to see him die, not like Estel; you can not allow anyone else to die for you, can you? You have lost your friend; you can not lose your father. Your love, your compassion will be my means of revenge."

"How do you know I will do it? How do you know I will die as you say? What if I don't?" Legolas said. His desperation could not be hidden in the casual remark. His captor laughed. Legolas let go of all his pride and went on.

"What if when he comes I am not so noble? " The man stopped laughing, and Legolas swallowed, "What if I beg him to save me? What would you do then human, when I do not die for him willingly? Killing me, as I plea to live would not exact the type of revenge you seem to be after."

The man's smile disappeared; he reached out and griped the elf's throat.

"You would not do that, Legolas, because if you do, you both are dead, I know the ways of elves, there is a strong chance he will die from grief, but he may live, would you chance sending your country to ruin?. Could you allow that to happen?"

That was all he needed to say, he saw how that simple answer silenced the elf before him.

Legolas turned his eyes away. He could not look at the man. He felt his heart being shattered all over again.

_There is nothing I can do!_

The man, pleased that he had finally silenced the elven prince for the moment, called out to the camp to pack up and disperse. They were moving out. His men traveled light and they did not need more then a few moment to gather there meager belongings and lined up for the long march that day. Smiling to himself the dark man motioned for the men to bring the elf and the group head out, always in the direction of the Mirkwood gates.

Legolas, his thoughts in a blur, was pushed to walk along with them, yet he scarcely had any awareness to his surroundings. He felt all the anger he had a moment ago start to subside and the heart ache return. So he trudged along in complete submission. He did not struggle, nor did he speak. His thoughts were on two beings. One his father, who he prayed with all his might would not come tomorrow night; and at the same time wanted nothing more then to have the elf right there next to him at this very moment.

The other, was Estel, his friend who he knew he would never see again. His friend that would never journey with him in peril or pleasure, a friend that he would never have at his back during a battle; he would never again be at the receiving end of one of the ranger's many pranks.

They would never laugh together again. They had always been able to face anything, anything, as long they were together; they had promised each other that no matter what would happen to them, they would always make it back; together, or not at all. But not this time; Estel was gone, he would never come back. They would never be together again. And the realization brought the ache in his chest to rise to his throat. Closing his eyes to the nightmare he was in, Legolas thought back to how it all began.

Estel and he had been returning from Laketown. In his current grief Legolas could not remember why they had gone anymore. It all seems so unimportant in the light of Estel's death.

They did what they had been there to do and were returning home. They were not in a hurry, both of them enjoying being out in the wild anyway, so they kept there pace slow. It was a four day journey to the protected borders of Mirkwood from Laketown, and they expected to take advantage of Legolas's lack of duties.

That night, they made there camp on the border of the forest, wanting to enter at first light, the prince had insisted to take the first watch and allow the ranger to sleep. There was not much to fear there, but all the same the habit of it all was just that. But he did not think anything would be out there to fear, and besides, he was wood elf, the trees would warn him long before anything was close enough to worry about.

_How could I have been so careless?_

He had not though about the encroaching darkness on the forest. He did not think the trees would abandon him as they did. But evil was closer then he had thought, and with out the expected warning of the trees, Legolas was too late in noticing the ambush that had made its way to them. By the time his elven senses, _senses that he had neglected for the help of the trees, _picked up the sounds around them it was too late, the group he was now held by, came rushing out at him in the dark so fast he did not have time to bring his bow up before they were to close for arrows. His blades were in his hands but he never got to use them.

The elven prince still could feel the self reproach now as he did then, because of his elven pride, he looked upon a scene he never wanted to see in his life.

As his blades were drawn he heard a call to halt, he looked across the fire and saw his friend, held down with a dagger at his throat, and the elf did not see anyone else in that moment, only the ranger. And what he saw caused a shudder to pass through his heart.

Being violently awaken from a sound sleep, to a dagger at his throat, startled the human so much that for the briefest of moments fear was evident in those smoky eyes. Fear because he had though him self safe. He had thought that his friend was watching out for him. But Legolas did not, he had failed him. At the time he did not think that the price of that trust would be the rangers end. But the thought that the ranger would face captivity because of him tore at his soul.

Anger replaced the fear so quickly that there was no trace of it left in the man's gaze.

"Run, Legolas go now!" Estel called out in elvish. "You can flee with out me, go!" The man called, he was silenced as the blade bit deeper.

Though he called out in courage, Legolas could still remember that glimpse of fear, and it was enough to stay his blades. He thought nothing of running, and as he was rushed and forced to the ground, the elf's eyes sought out those of the ranger, and with them only he reminded the man of the long ago promise. Together, or not at all!

The smile that he received was burnt in to his memory forever.

The men bound there captives. There was a calm efficiency about the men that had captured them. With in minutes the ambush was over and the group, captives and all were gone. The camp was abandoned, with all of the friend's belongings.

It was a long nights of forced marching, where the men, did not parade the ease of the capture before the two friends, they did not gloat over the prize they had caught and with the coming of the day Legolas could see the frustration that was etched in to the face of his friend. Frustration from the utter lack of information, with a look at the elf, the ranger took it upon him self to find out. He called out for answers, who were they? What did they want? Why had they done this? Anything to get something out of the silent group; eventually the shouts brought the attention of the apparent leader of the group. The dark haired, dark skinned man came over. Though the human's shouts brought him to them, his eyes were for the elf alone. He paid no heed to the ranger and his constant flow of questions. The darker eyes bore into Legolas with such venom that the elf was loss for words.

Then with a smile, that the elf can now call sadistic, he answered the ranger, with a question of his own.

"Who are you?" This was said to Legolas. Those simple words, so innocent a question had never held such evil. Such pain; those few words would now haunt the prince for the reminder of his life.

They would haunt him because like a good prince, he did not answer. He did not betray his king. He thought that he would pay for the silence, and he was prepared for the punishment when he was forced to kneel at the dark man's feet. But it was not he who had paid. It was Estel.

One would think on ways they could have changed what had happened, but Legolas knew there was nothing he could have done differently. He could not have lied, nor could he have spared Estel's life with the truth. Because the dark man had known all along, it was all planed out from the beginning. They had planned Estel's death, for no other reason but to torment the elven prince.

And the helplessness of it all brought the tears again and he clenched shut his eyes and his teeth to crush the sob that threatened to burst from the very depth of his being.

Unfortunately or not, this was a bad time to close his eyes. Even an elf will need to watch his feet as he walked, if he had he would have seen the protruding tree root that very un kindly caught his foot and held it still, causing the elf to fall to the ground with a grunt. For his hands were still bound behind him and he could not catch himself, his elven reflexes did allow him to twist quickly enough to land on his shoulder and not his face.

His escorts merely looked down at him with an amused smile on there ugly faces and he was in no mood to be laughed at. So he suddenly kicked out at the closer of the two, sending the brute to the ground along with him.

"What is going on? Why have you stopped?" The dark man called out. Legolas glanced behind him and saw the leader pushing his way back through the men from the front to see what had happened. He looked to the two men, wanting an answer.

"Well?"

The one still standing looked at his feet.

"The clumsy elf tripped." He said and the one on the ground, who was holding his wounded knee, pointed at Legolas and whined.

"When we stopped he kicked me! I think he was trying' to escape." Legolas glared at the man, it was obvious he was lying and even the dark man could tell. But all the same he glanced down at the prone elf at his feet.

With one of his known smiles, he said softly.

"Well. We can't have that, now can we?"

Then out of no where the man produced a length of rope. He daftly tied off the end in a loop. Even in his emotional turmoil the elven prince knew what the rope 'leash' was going to be use as, and quickly got to his feet. Though just as he stood straight, the dark man gestured to the elf's two escorts and they griped him tightly again.

By this time, the whole company of men was standing around the small group, watching to see how their leader treated his captive.

As the man approached him, Legolas twisted and turned in their grasps though his spirit was very close to breaking, he still had enough pride left not to just stand there and allow a _human _to put a leash on him and lead him around like a dog.

"Ah, you see, Legolas, you are acting above your status. You are no longer an elven prince here." Those words did nothing but make Legolas fight to break there hold all the more. But the men would no allow it, and the one on the elf's right, the one that Legolas had kicked, paid him back with his own kick to the back of the elf's knees.

Legolas went down, and as he fell to his knees the dark man used the opportunity to slip the rope over his head.

Blue eyes, that once held such joy and light, though now were dark and stormy, pierced the dark man.

"You will die for this, Human, though you will kill me, your end will soon follow." There was so much conviction in the elf's voice that the dark man stepped back to study him again. Then his smile went dark, and with a skilled yank, the noose tightened around Legolas's throat.

"Well if that is the case, I had better make it worth it, shouldn't I?" He said, looking to the men holding the elf, "Hold him still, I would hate for this to hurt." With a dark gleam in his eye the man pulled out a knife.

Legolas instinctively stepped back from the blade. But as they were told, the men holding him griped his arms tighter, and one of them took the leash and pulled it taunt. Making it hard for the elf to draw breath, though he could still breath he knew that any movement of his head would cut off all air.

The dark man, grinning still, took a hold of his outer tunic and started to cut it away from the elf. He took his time, and once he was done the elf stood in his thin and light under tunic. The fabric clung to the lithe torso of the elf. And though he felt not a chill with out the second tunic, a shiver ran down his back for he felt less protected from the men around him.

"Now, Legolas, I will show you what it is to be miss led by others." And in a flash the Dark man used a particular long strip of the prince's own tunic and blindfolded him.

When the cloth blocked out the light, it took all of Legolas's will not to panic. He hated the dark, knowing that he was bound and about to be lead by a leash was one thing, but to be unable to see the light of the day was too much for his already aching soul. He concentrated on controlling his breathing; it would never do for the men to see his distress.

"Come, my little elf." Whispered the dark man in to his ear. And he felts the leash yanked forward. He stumbled but caught him self before he fell.

Through darkness of mind and sight he was lead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! Thanks so much for the reviews. I will answer a few questions I know a few of you have, I know you were no very happy with the lack of info on why all this was happening to poor Legolas. ( He is just as frustrated as you all, believe me! :P) But you will have to wait a little longer for answers. I won't tell you when the answer will come only that when Legolas finds out so will you! So with that said, Here is chapter two! Hope you like! And as always please review. I need all the help I can get! LOL!**

Chapter 2

And so the walk continued. Legolas stumbled often and fell a few time, he knew his leggings were torn and blood flowed freely down his right shine from a sharp rock the elf was positive he was steered in to it on purpose. The humility of it all stung deep. But try as he might, the poor elf could not stop the dark thoughts that penetrated his anger. The forced darkness wore down his strength more then anything, and by midday he felt the dampness of sweat down his back, and his front, causing the think fabric to cling even more to his chest.

"Do you miss the light, my pet?" The dark man's voice would whisper every now again. "In this darkness do you feel small and insignificant? Where is your elven superiority now?" The dark man taunted. He was so sure that the elf before him was suffering from his words. But really, Legolas was suffering from his shattered heart. He would die, he knew but he wondered if he would ever make it to see his father. With Estel's death and now the darkness that the blindfold had sentenced him to he was slowly falling in to despair, and he knew that he would never come out of it.

_I have failed them all, Elladan, Elrohir. How will I tell them of Estel's fate?_

The thought of the twins brought a new a new emotion to the fading elf. He could not forget the promise he had made to his friends. He and sworn to the brothers that he would watch out for Estel. _I can not die and not tell them of his fate! _

Purpose flooded his soul; he did not feel revitalized, nor empowered. He only felt more drained then ever. He knew now that his fate was sealed at the hands of this mad human. He would not be able to fade and not let some one know of Estel's sacrifice.

_How? How will I do that? I am as good as dead in twenty four hours._

His thoughts continued thus for the most of the day. Now matter his resolve Legolas could not bring even a small amount of hope to his heart. If he lived past the next sunset, he would fade. He would only wait the time it would take to tell the Peredhil's the lost of there brother, and son. There is no hope to be found in these thoughts, and so despair took its place next to grief in the Legolas's heart.

The poor elf did not know how long they had walked but as the sun started its descent the elven prince's condition started to deteriorate further.

The sweat that appeared down his back and chest was constant now and he shivered continually. He stumbled so often now on his own that the dark man did not have to steer him into anything for the elven ability to navigate in a forest was all but a memory in his current grief.

And the moment the sun was completely gone from the sky, Legolas felt it. It was as if the little bit of comfort there was in the world had left him. His hearts seemed to shudder and it was all he could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

When the dark man finally called a halt, Legolas stopped with the rest of them. He was shivering in the darkness, yet he could not see, Legolas was very aware of his captor's steps as he swaggered back to his side. The elven prince could very well imagine the evil grin the man wore. Legolas could not stand the man's presences and as he neared him he fought the urge to step away.

"You do not look to good elf." He said sneeringly in to his ear. Legolas was startled when he felt the man's hand glide across his brow, "I thought the elves did not sweat as men do!"

He did not answer the man. Legolas knew he was just trying to goad him in to revealing more of himself as he had before. As he has so succinctly stated earlier he was more 'fun' when he was angry.

The man was not happy with his lack of response, and looked about the group for fuel to light the prince's angry fire.

The darkness did not offer him any solutions at first but then his thoughts brought to him some thing with to torment the proud creature before him.

He tugged the 'leash' harshly smiling all the more when his prisoner stumbled, obviously not prepared to move again.

He led the elf further into the makeshift 'camp' his men were hastily setting up. He brought him closer to his desired spot. And grinned again as he saw the affect the new area had in his captive.

Legolas did not know where the man was leading him. He felt the presence of the large body of men close in around him and knew he was being lead further towards the center of the camp. And even before he felt its warmth, the realization came to him. They were getting closer to the fire. The men before this had not allowed a fire as it would draw the attention of the elves. But the message sent to the King stated that the elven patrols should not be out this night. The king had been given strict orders to draw to him all his warriors or lose the life of his son. The men felt no fear that the King would disobey that condition. For it was well known to them the depth of love the proud king had for his equally proud son.

Just at the edge of the merrily dancing fire the two stopped. Legolas unconsciously turned his face to the light, missing the warmth and the comfort it brought him.

"It is a shame you can not see the glade we have found to rest in. It is quite beautiful." Still nothing, the man began to get irritated.

"You know Legolas your father would be very up set to know that you would ignore your host so." And was pleased the fair face turned from the fire to the man before him. He saw the thin set of the pale lips, and the creased brow, and knew that behind the blindfold those mesmerizing blue orbs were narrowed.

"I would hate to think what he would say if he were here." The man continued.

Legolas, for his part did his best to shut out the man's words. He regretted his lack of restraint at the mention of his father and quickly turned back to the fire. He went back to his thoughts and grief. He knew he should not be dwelling on Estel. He knew that his heart and more importantly his soul could not stand the pain. But here, held captive by a mad man, blind to all that was light and happy, knowing that tomorrow night would bring him death and that the only person he wished to see at this very moment was going to be forced to watch him die, he could find no place to hide. So instead of being goaded in to showing his turmoil and raging emotions he lost him self in the one that was the strongest. Shielding himself in grief he felt he might last until his father came. His only life line he had at this horrifying moment was he would see his _Adar_ one last time before he went to Manos' halls. If only he could see Estel again…

Suddenly and completely unexpected Legolas felt a stinging blow to the side of his face. Because his balance was lost with his sight, he fell back, he was grateful for his attention to the fire for he had already marked it's location to his right and was able to fall away from the burning flame.

Still bound with his hands behind him, he hit the ground hard and was momentarily dazed. Once he was able to concentrate on his surrounding again he was startled to know the dark man now stood above him, he could feel his legs on either side of his torso. And with the soft sound of creaking leather, the prince felt him bend down over his face.

"You were not listening to me, Legolas, I hate being ignored."

Some where in his mind the elf understood that it would not be beneficial to continue to ignore this man at this moment, but a larger portion of said mind was too tired and drained to care.

He turned away from the man, allowing his mind to drift away from where he was.

But the dark man would not be put off, and Legolas felt the 'leash' go taunted one second before he was pulled up by it. Successfully blocking the air to his lungs, unable to breath and unable to see the elf went in to a panic, unable to stop himself he twisted and jerked under the dark man as he held him thus. And just when Legolas was sure he had finally angered the man enough to kill him, he was released. The roped was loosened ever so much to allow the rush of night air to fill his starved lungs.

The elf coughed and sputtered, and through it all he could here the laughter from the men around him.

"Do I have your attention, Prince?" The dark man whispered close to Legolas's ear. And the elf could feel the hot breath as it hit his neck in a damp wave. And 'that' penetrated his chaotic emotions. With that he registered the closeness of their two faces, their two _bodies!_

Suppressing a shudder, Legolas nodded.

"Good, I would hate to harm you further." The man's voice was so low that only his captive heard him, his hand now on the elf's face, his thumb gliding over the bruised cheek. Legolas could not stand the intimacy of that touch, he jerked his head away.

A laugh fallowed again, this time from the dark man. Unable to get further from him then he was at the moment Legolas could only lay there, straddled by his tormentor and desperately hoping the world would open up and swallow him whole before he was touched again.

"I would hate for your father to be unable to recognize your pretty face when he arrives." And this time there was not the gentle and disturbing touch of the man's hand on his cheek, but the stinging bite of steal as it was sliced across the side of his face. Though he regretted it immediately, Legolas was unable to stifle the soft cry at the sudden and again, unexpected pain.

"But I will if you do not answer my questions, elf." And Legolas had no doubt that he would in fact go through with his threat. "I asked you if you missed the light. If I told you I would release your eyes if you would only say _pleas_e?"

Legolas felt trail of blood down behind the ear, and knew that he would feel more pain if he did not answer. His mind asked him to please see reason, and even though his soul cared little to what he did any more he allowed his mind to take over. Only a little though.

"I would never beg a thing from you." He whispered. Even with out his eyesight he could tell that this did nothing to please his captor. The man's hands were back on him again. Legolas suppressed a shudder as he felt those vile fingers linger on his face again, and then slide down his neck to his chest, just as the other slide down around his throat.

"Your impertinence is very upsetting." The dark man's voice was so close again, and the elven prince was unable to hide the tremor the breath on his flesh brought.

The man did not miss it either, and grinned.

"I think I know a way to teach our friend a lesson in manners." The man said, as the man's hand lingered on the throat of his captive, Legolas felt the other move from his chest and the distinct feeling of his tunic being lifted slightly from his torso, panicking again Legolas struggled but felt more pressure on his legs, the hand tightened around his throat and he heard the tarring of fabric as a knife slide through the thin fabric of the elf's remaining tunic.

He felt the cloth as it was pushed off his shoulders to leave bare his chest to his captor and what ever plan he had for his 'lesson'.

The dark man stared down at the alabaster skin of the elven prince. The beauty of the elves has been known to him and his people, but the sheer wonder that was splayed out before him right now! This was much more. And it was _his! _His smile grew.

He knew the ways of a few of his men; he knew that they had a liking more for the young boys and the fair men of their home far more then maidens. And he knew that this elf had defiantly aroused their interest. Now he would see if the elf could handle there 'attention', or _his_. Leaning down again, he brought his mouth close to the elves delicately pointed ear, feeling the slight tremble if the fair body below him the man knew that this would be what he needed to break the elf's defiance.

"Do you know how you look now, Legolas?" His voice was soft, and low, wanting only his captive to here.

And he did here him. Legolas clenched his fist under him. The elven prince, sensitive to the emotions around him could feel the eyes on him. Though he could not see the looks he was given as he lay there helpless beneath this man he could feel the anticipation rise in the group around him, he could feel the vile excitement of their lust as they waited for their leader to do what ever it was that he planed. Legolas wished for death at that moment. He could very well imagine what might happen next. He had heard stories of humans and there lust for the beauty of the Eldar, and how far that have taken there obsession. His fear deepened when the dark man's voice whispered him his ear again.

"I am sure you know how your position is affecting my men, dear prince, and I am sure you could understand how I would rise in their favor more if I were to give you to them right now."

The dark man continued to whisper, his hands on the move now, his mouth mere inches away from the pale lips of the elven prisoner.

"Or they would cheer as I took you now before them. To have them watch me finally break your prideful spirit would also raise me in their favor."

Legolas could not take it. If he had felt panic before it was nothing to what he felt at this moment. His twisted his hands behind him, and tried to kick his legs free from the men that pined them down. He could not lay there and simply allow them to…No! He could not!

The dark man laugh the louder as he dropped down from his crouching above the elf to a full straddle, his hips resting now on the slender hips of the elf, effectively stopping the bucking of his victim.

As he felt the Dark man straddle him Legolas wished for all the world that he would die. _This can not be happening! _The man's hands were roaming. He felt one as it sliding over his stomach, the other across his chest. Then when he thought he could take those hands no more one left his stomach and griped him behind head, and he felt again the thumb run across his cheek, the other ran down the his abdomen, and further until it ended at the fastenings of his leggings. Legolas squirmed, tried to break free of the hands that pined him. But more he wished to free his body from the touch of the man.

The dark man watched as the elf's breathing accelerated, his chest rising and falling in fear and panic. Almost he gave in to his desire and continued, but that was not the plan.

He griped the elf's head closer to him, bring back his rage to dispel the desire he tightened his grip.

"Afraid elf? You don't know how much more frightening it will feel before this night is over."

Legolas bit his lip and the man's grip went painfully tight and pulled at the hair of his neck. The other hand still lingered at the top of his leggings but he did not believe the man was going to continue. The desire he had felt was replaced by anger, there did not seem to be any reasoning for it, yet Legolas was sure he was right.

What ever he might have thought about that just then was lost as he was pulled to his feet again and was yanked forward. He never even felt as the men got off of him.

Staggering and stumbling as he tried to keep up with the pace he was pull at, Legolas was completely lost to what was happening, his mind still reeling from earlier.

Yet when he thought that he had his balance and was able to keep up, he was thrown to the ground. Unable to catch himself this time, Legolas fell hard, his body landing on an uplifted root to a tree. Being that he was thrown forward his chest hit the root first. Legolas felt his breath fly from him, and heard a very audible crack.

_Not good._

Legolas felt sharp shooting pain, but was not given time to think more about it as the man's voice was in his ear.

"Can you feel their eye's on you, my prince? Do you feel what they want from you?" The elf was not at all sure what he was talking about. And would have said so if he was given the chance, but he was not, they were moving again.

The dark man was still gripping his neck, and he still used it as a handle. Legolas was pulled up to his knees again; the hand sliding around to grip his throat and pulled the elf back against his chest. They stayed still for the moment. In the stillness and the silence Legolas was given a chance to process the question, and understood the implications.

He could feel again the cluster of bodies around him and the dark man. He could feel also the united excitement that seeped off of the crowd of men. He was sickened by the assault of it all. Yes he knew what they wanted of him. And he knew that he was to be left to them. He did not need any of the dark man's comments to understand what was to happen.

"You are sick!" Legolas did not know when he decided to speak. But now that the words had been said he did not stop. "You will die; my kin will hunt you down. And my father will kill you all!"

The dark man chuckled. "I do not doubt you. But I will have my revenge none the less. You will die, your father will suffer as I have suffered and that is all I care about."

"Why?" Legolas whispered. It was painful breathe and he did not have enough air to speak any louder. "Why are you doing this?" It was not the first time he had asked, but he was in need of some type of a reason.

The only answer he got was silence as his captor twisted him around and slammed his back against something hard. His chest hurt so bad it was hard to draw a breath and the pain only increased with the impact. Then he felt the rope about his neck tighten slightly and then seem to thicken. The ground beneath him seemed to sway and he thought for a moment he would black out. It took him a moment to process the fact that the Dark man had tied him to a tree by the leash about his neck.

_I must hurt worse then I thought. There must be a broken rib and maybe a concussion?_

Legolas's mind was working slowly in comparison to what was happening around him. So he felt his quick diagnosis was pretty accurate.

Taking as deep a breath as he could he calmed his racing heart and tried to clear his head. This done he was able to tell that he was alone, and when heard the dark man call out for them to set the perimeter and the guards for the night he knew he was going to be left alone for the night_. Alone until some decided that they needed company._ Legolas shudder at that thought. He would not admit it at loud be he did not want to be left alone.

"Will you not answer me?" Legolas gasped.

The dark man looked back at the elf. He was pleased with his display. And knew that the elf understood what he would endure this night. It was the first time in almost ten years that he felt happy. The elf king would suffer; he was actually excited to tell Thranduil of all that his son has endured at his hands.

"I know you hear me _edan_!" The elf rasped.

_Well it won't hurt the plan to tell him now will it?_

Legolas heard the man come back towards him. He was actually relieved. He did not like the man that was obvious, but he was very sure that he would suffer only as he had from this man, and as long as he stayed with the elf, the others would have to wait. Swallowing back the bile that rose at the thought of what was to come Legolas shifted were he sat. He was not going to find a comfortable position bound as he was. But he at least tried to sit up straighter to get the pressure off of his raw and _had to be_, bleeding throat.

"I heard you, Prince, but tell me why it is that I should tell you. I find your torment quite entertaining if you had not noticed before." There was a smile in the voice that Legolas heard. The man was standing right above him, not too close and yet not far away, either.

"You killed an innocent man, and are using me as a false ransom for my father. Yet I have heard no reason as to why!" Legolas paused to draw a breath. Sitting up straighter may have slightly helped his throat, but it was not at all helping his broken rib. "You may be stupid, _edan_, but you hardly seem crazy. There must be a reason?"

"You think so, prince?" He chuckled again, "Yes I have a reason. As do many against your father. But you being his son should know this."

"What are you talking about? I doubt that anything that my father has done would be so terrible that any sane person would find murder a reasonable punishment."

The laughter was gone from the voice when the answer came. Legolas was surprised at the answer as well and the venom that it was spoken with.

"Murder is a perfect punishment for murder!"

"Murder? You are insane; my father has killed no one in cold blood."

"Yes he is! He slaughters and kills as if it is nothing at all to him. You call him King and Father, but I see him as he is, a monster! A murdering, slaughtering monster!" The man shouted at the elf. Legolas heard a hush fall about him, and knew that the rest of the encampment was now listening.

"You can not be serious? He kills only if he has to." Legolas answered.

"You would of coarse defend him, as all the other have defended him. You are his son."

"I defend him because it is the truth, you are mistaken…" Legolas would have continued but he was distracted by the sudden impact his head had made first with a fist to his jaw then the tree to the back of his head.

"Shut up! Shut up!" The man was shouting again. All sense of control was gone from him. Even fighting off the effects of being struck so hard he thought his head would have spun right off of his shoulders; Legolas knew he was completely taken in his rage.

"You know nothing of what you are talking about, you will not be so completely confident in you so honorable King tomorrow. I will have him tell you. The last thing you will hear is his voice admitting that he is a murdering coward!"

"He will admit nothing!" Legolas tried to yell back, and was hit again. This time he tasted blood.

"You will see. You are just like him; to proud to admit you are wrong. You will see. Tomorrow night you will see."

Legolas could not believe this. He knew his father; he knew that he would never kill with out reason. He was not a murder. His captor was so sure that tomorrow he will find peace. But Legolas knew better. What ever the reason this man had for his rage it was going to kill him.

Legolas was about to reply back when to the amazement to everyone in the clearing a voice rang out from out of the darkness.

"You need not wait until tomorrow, Barack! I am here now!"

Legolas was stunned. In his misery and darkness, he had wished for that very voice. Thranduil had come a night early.

**Yay! Here comes Thranduil. And I would not want to be the one to have to answer to a mad Thrandul. SO! There are the answer to a couple of questions from chapter 1. I want to thank you all for continuing the story! The next chapter will not be uploaded for about two weeks from now. Sorry, I had this one just about done when I uploaded chapter 1, and I still have to write chapter 3 But I will give you a treat. The next chapter will enter two characters they have been mentioned in the last chapter. There will also be a time laps. For two days before Thranduil's entrance. Wich might help answer the question "why is he early?" hmmm. Again I hoped you all liked this!**


End file.
